Free and LowCost Reading Tools for the Common

Free and Low-Cost Reading Tools for the Common Man Susan Kelmer, Alternate Format Access Coordinator Disability Services, University of Colorado Boulder

Built-In Reading Tools: Mac/i. OS § Voiceover § Speech Function (under Speech and Dictation)

Built-In Reading Tools - PC § You’ve heard good things about Narrator, but don’t believe them § Good reading tool built into Word, just add it to your quick access toolbar

Okay, So Built-In Is Limited, Now What? (PC Version) § Some Freebie Programs/Apps: § § § Central Access Reader (CAR) (www. cwu. edu/central-access/reader) Balabolka (www. cross-plus-a. com/balabolka. htm Natural Reader (www. naturalreaders. com/download. html) Zabaware (www. zabaware. com/download. asp) e. Speak (espeak. sourceforge. net/download. html) § Low-Cost Programs/Apps: § Text. Speech Pro - $60 and up (www. textspeechpro. com/download. html) § Text. Aloud by Next. Up - $30 (sites. fastspring. com/nextup/product/textaloud) § Verbose - $30 (www. nch. com. au/verbose/index. html)

Okay, So Built-In Is Limited, Now What? (i. OS Version) § Some freebie programs/apps § Natural Reader (www. naturalreader. com) § Aloud! (on i. Tunes store) § Low-Cost Programs/Apps: § Voice. Dream - $15 (www. voicedream. com) § Text. Aloud - $5 (www. nextup. com) § Ghost. Reader - $25 and up (www. convenienceware. com/ghostreader)

What About Browser Plug-Ins? § Chrome: § Speak. It! § Announcify! § Select and Speech § Firefox: § Text To Voice § Speechify § Fox. Vox

Anything Web-Based? § Ivona – www. ivona. com – copy and past text into their window, and play. Comes with many voices. § Audio Book Maker – www. audiobookmaker. com – text to speech reader and provides options for creating audio files for on-the-go uses. Great with larger files. § Acapela-Box - https: //acapela-box. com/Aca. Box/index. php - create audio files from text you provide. § From Text To Speech - http: //www. fromtexttospeech. com/

Want to Read Faster? § Spritzy and Readsy § Spritz (www. spritzinc. com) is an innovative reading process that can help you increase your speed. § Readsy (www. readsy. co) allows you to upload your own text and have it read to you Spritz-style.

Reader Helpers § Bee. Line Reader (Chrome, Firefox, i. Phone, i. Pad) www. beelinereader. com § Gradiates color to help lead the eye § Change fonts and colors to what works best for you § Rewordify (www. rewordify. com)

Additional Resources § Augsburg College/Groves Technology Website: List of free apps, programs, extensions, etc. (www. augsburg. edu/class/groves/assistive-technology/) § Tseng College Accessible Document Tutorials – (http: //tsengcollege. csun. edu/accessibility)

Thank you! Susan Kelmer, Alternate Format Access Coordinator, Disability Services University of Colorado Boulder Susan. Kelmer@Colorado. edu